Refrigerating control device for air conditioner

ABSTRACT

A refrigerating control device of the invention for an air conditioner includes a control circuit connected to a compressor of the air conditioner through an electromagnetic switch including a control coil and a contact-switch element including a plurality of input contacts and a plurality of output contacts connected to the compressor and a motor of the compressor, wherein the control circuit includes a timing circuit connected to the control coil through an interval timing device and a soft start circuit connected to the input contacts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a refrigerating control device for an air conditioner to reduce energy consumption.

Description of the Related Art

An operation principle of a conventional air conditioner is shown in FIG. 1. A control circuit 10 control a compressor 11 through an electromagnetic switch 12 to compress refrigerant to become high-pressure liquid state. The liquid refrigerant is cooled by a condenser 13 and released to an evaporator 15 through an expansion valve 14. The liquid refrigerant absorbs heat and evaporates in the evaporator 15. The evaporated refrigerant is compressed by the compressor 11 to become liquid. The conventional air conditioner may stop the compressor 11 when air reaches a preset temperature. The compressor 11 starts again when the temperature of the air rises. Thus, the compressor 11 operates for a period and then rest for a period. Since the compressor 11 consumes more power when it starts than it is in continuous operation, this conventional air conditioner consumes more energy because the compressor 11 must continue to restart.

An inverter air conditioner is thus developed to solve the energy consumption problem. As shown in FIG. 2, the inverter air conditioner has an inverter circuit 16 disposed in a control circuit 10. When air reaches a preset temperature, the compressor 11 slows down rather than stop. When the temperature rises, the compressor 11 speeds up to cool air. Therefore, the compressor 11 which consumes the most energy continues in operation when the inverter air conditioner is turned on. The inverter air conditioner still consumes considerable energy when it operates for a long time in the most indoor environments.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a refrigerating control device which improves energy consumption of inverter air conditioners and conventional air conditioners which have not inverter.

The invention provides a refrigerating control device. The refrigerating control device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention includes a compressor including a motor, comprising a control circuit connected to the compressor through an electromagnetic switch including a control coil and a contact-switch element including a plurality of input contacts and a plurality of output contacts connected to the compressor and the motor, wherein the control circuit includes a timing circuit connected to the control coil through an interval timing device and a soft start circuit connected to the input contacts.

In another exemplary embodiment, the interval timing device is set to have continuous and alternate operation time and rest time.

In yet another exemplary embodiment, the timing circuit is adjustable.

In another exemplary embodiment, the operation time and the rest time are adjustable.

In yet another exemplary embodiment, the timing circuit and the soft start circuit are modular.

A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a conventional air conditioner;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an inverter air conditioner;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an air conditioner of the invention;

FIG. 4 is block diagram showing a control procedure of FIGS. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a timing diagram of an interval timing device of a timing circuit of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a refrigerating control device of the invention includes a refrigerating control circuit 20 which is connected to a motor of a compressor 40 of an air conditioner through an electromagnetic switch 30. The electromagnetic switch 30 includes a control coil 31 and a contact-switch element 32 including input contacts (R-S-T three phase power contacts) and output contacts (U-V-W motor contacts) connected to the motor of the compressor 40. The refrigerating control circuit 20 includes a timing circuit 50 and a soft start circuit 60. The timing circuit 50 is connected to the control coil 31 of the electromagnetic switch 30 through an interval timer 51 (see FIGS. 3 and 5). In this embodiment, the control coil 31 is a magnetic coil, and the contact-switch element 32 is a reciprocating movable member.

Referring to FIG. 5, the interval timer 51 is set to have a longer operation time T1 (for example 10 minutes) and a shorter rest time T2 (for example 2 minutes). The operation time T1 and the rest time T2 are continuous and alternate. Preferably, the timing circuit 50 is adjustable, and the operation time T1 and the rest time T2 can be regulated depending on various conditions.

The timing circuit 50 and the soft start circuit 60 are modular (see FIG. 1) to facilitate assembly and maintenance.

When the refrigerating control circuit 20 is mounted to an air conditioner, the timing circuit 50 turns off the compressor 40 of the air conditioner for a rest time T2 (for example 2 minutes) after the compressor 40 operates for an operation time T1. The timing circuit 50 re-conducts the control coil 31 so that the contact-switch element 32 connects the soft start circuit 60 and the motor of the compressor 40 to start the compressor 40 again, and the compressor 40 continues to operate for another operation time (for example 10 minutes). The timing circuit 50 disconnects the control coil 31 to stop the compressor 40, and the compressor 40 stop operating for another rest time T2 (for example 2 minutes).

The refrigerating control circuit 20 of the invention controls the compressor 40 to operate for an operation time T1 to provide cool air and stop for a rest time T2. The soft start circuit 60 reduces power consumption for restarting the compressor 40. The refrigerating control circuit 20 of the invention improves power consumption of the conventional air conditioner without inverter, and it also effectively improves power consumption of inverter air conditioner. The air conditioner is used so widely, the refrigerating control circuit 20 of the invention can largely reduce power consumption of our society and also reduce cost for building additional power equipment.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A refrigerating control device for an air conditioner comprising a compressor comprising a motor, comprising a control circuit connected to the compressor through an electromagnetic switch comprising a control coil and a contact-switch element comprising a plurality of input contacts and a plurality of output contacts connected to the compressor and the motor, wherein the control circuit comprises a timing circuit connected to the control coil through an interval timing device and a soft start circuit connected to the input contacts.
 2. The refrigerating control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interval timing device is set to have continuous and alternate operation time and rest time.
 3. The refrigerating control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the timing circuit is adjustable.
 4. The refrigerating control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the operation time and the rest time are adjustable.
 5. The refrigerating control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the timing circuit and the soft start circuit are modular. 